


Their Game

by ifonlyiwaswittier



Series: Unrelated Eruri [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angry Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Gen, Post- A Choice With No Regrets, Pre-Canon, references to violence, y'all know im eruri trash so put those goggles on kiddos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 09:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifonlyiwaswittier/pseuds/ifonlyiwaswittier
Summary: “It was five against one, yes? Self defense?" Erwin paused but Levi wasn’t going to give him a reply, pulling his crossed limbs in closer. “It seems like you’re the one being punished though.”Shadis puts Levi in a holding cell and Erwin comes to have a chat.





	Their Game

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for language.
> 
> Too many thoughts on this/my life so read them below the cut here: https://ellswritesthings.tumblr.com/post/169750243686/their-game

The door to the stairway opened with a groan of disuse, spilling light that cut across the shadows of the Survey Corps holding cells. Levi didn’t bother looking up, knowing it was just another meal delivery, complete with a side of taunts. If he had been counting correctly, this should be his last meal before his 72 hours in the cell was up. He listlessly flipped the page of the only book left in his cell- a copy of _The Rules and Regulations of The Survey Corps: Seventh Edition_ , tossed through the bars at his head by some sneering Cadet. He wouldn’t give whatever fucker had come to bother him now the satisfaction of his attention.

“Levi,” the shadow falling on his book said. Erwin. King Fucker. “I brought you dinner.”

Another page silently turned in _Rules and Regulations_ as a tray with the usual rations was slid under the bars.

“Looks like they didn’t even give you the most recent copy,” Erwin hummed. Out of the corner of his eye, Levi could see him moving to sit cross-legged in the corridor outside the cell. What a weird fuck. “Not the best read, either. Full of contradictions.” Erwin continued to fill the silence. “Did you know it’s both mandated and forbidden to sweep the officer’s quarters on Sundays?”

“What’s with the box?” Levi asked as he mindlessly turned another page. Erwin huffed, sounding impressed, as he pulled a small box out of his the breast pocket of his uniform.

“It’s a game,” he explained, unfolding the box into a board and shaking pieces out of a velvety bag. “I thought maybe you’d-”

“If you think you’re being slick with your ‘sometimes you have to play their game’ metaphor you’re even dumber than you look,” Levi interrupted. He looked up to see Erwin smiling. Dumbass.

“Well, it is true,” Erwin said, arranging the black and white pieces in two triangles on the board- battle formations. “How do you think I got this far?”

“By sucking a lot of cock,” Levi snapped. But despite himself, he leaned closer to get a better view of the board, curious. He had never seen this game before, pieces too finely carved and the designs on the board to intricate for anyone in the Underground. He wondered how to play.

Erwin chuckled, placing the last pieces. “That definitely helps,” he said.

“Why the fuck are you here?”

“Because they’re treating you unfairly,” Erwin replied as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “And I want to show I’m on your side.”

“Well now you can get the fuck out of here and check off your good deed for the week,” Levi said just as easily, the words rumbling low in his chest like a warning.

“It was five against one, yes? Self defense.” Erwin paused but Levi wasn’t going to give him a reply, pulling his crossed limbs in closer. “It seems like you’re the one being punished though.”

It did, especially to Levi. Shadis had said the holding cell was for Levi’s safety, just until all the fervor blows over.

“You scare them, Levi,” Erwin said with a severe tone. Levi couldn’t help but scoff. He’d always scared everyone but a select few and he’d still never been locked away _for his own good_ before. Erwin was just as bad as the rest of them, dragging him into this clusterfuck and then abandoning him to rot in a cell on Shadis’s whim with nothing to do but contemplate his quickly healing black eye. “You’re not one of them. Neither am I. But if we play their game just a while longer we can change the rules.” Something harsh and fierce flashed in Erwin’s eyes. But just as quickly it was gone.

Fuck Erwin- for taking everything from him, for waltzing in here like he had some sort of hold over Levi, for pretending that being a pampered pretty boy who’s never been told _no_ in his life made them even remotely the same.

But still, despite himself, Levi felt hope beat its broken wings in his chest.

“Now,” Erwin said. “Would you like the first move?”


End file.
